Hydrocarbon-water emulsions are well known and have a variety of uses, e.g., as hydrocarbon transport mechanisms, such as pipelines. These emulsions are generally described as macro emulsions, that is, where the emulsion is cloudy or opaque as compared to micro emulsions that are clear, translucent, and thermodynamically stable because of the higher level of surfactant used in preparing micro-emulsions.
The methods of making, e.g., wax emulsions, from petroleum derived materials are well known, but the material surfactants and co-solvents are usually expensive. Moreover, waxes produced from the Fischer-Tropsch process may be harder waxes, have higher melting points, are essentially odor free and free of sulfur and nitrogen, with low residual oils. These high melting point solids are, therefore, difficult to transport through pipelines.
Consequently, there is a need for a method of preparing low cost, stable emulsions of Fischer-Tropsch wax so the wax can be readily transported, e.g., through pipelines.